Burnt Balıklı Greek Hospital preparing to return to its old days
While the patients were quickly evacuated due to the fire that broke out on 4 August 2022 in the İhtiyarhane building of the Balıklı Greek Hospital in Zeytinburnu Kazlıçeşme Neighbourhood, the elderly were taken to other health institutions in the region by health workers, fire brigade, police officers and citizens on stretchers and wheelchairs.
The historical building was heavily damaged by the fire, the smoke of which could be seen from many districts of Istanbul. The fire, which was extinguished after a long struggle of fire brigades from many districts, rendered the building, which defied the years, unusable.
In the report of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB) Fire Department, which investigated the incident, it was announced that the cause of the fire could not be determined in a healthy way.
Bakırköy Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, which initiated an investigation into the fire, decided not to prosecute after the hospital management did not file a complaint.
98 per cent of the renovation was completed
After the residents of the old people's home, which has been standing for many years, started to be accommodated in other parts of the hospital, work was started to heal the wounds of the historical building.
The renovation and restoration works carried out meticulously under the coordination of Istanbul Governorship, Zeytinburnu Municipality and hospital management are gradually coming to an end.
Within the scope of the renovation works tendered by the Governorship, 98 percent of the renovation including the exterior facade and the lower part of the roof eaves has been completed. In line with the works carried out inside the building, 60 per cent of the electrical installation was completed.
The roof was completely covered within the scope of the restoration works carried out in order for the building to be historical and to stand up again in accordance with the original.
The target for the works is the end of the year
The restoration and renovation works carried out in the old age home building of the hospital are planned to be completed by the end of the year. It is aimed to open the building for use after the necessary items for the patients are quickly placed in the building.
Work continues inside the building
Erol Yümlü, Civil Engineer of Balıklı Rum Hospital Foundation, told AA correspondent that after the directives of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, renovation works were started in the building with the support of Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, who was the Governor of Istanbul at the time, and Zeytinburnu Mayor Ömer Arısoy.
Explaining that 98 percent of the restoration of approximately 2000 square metres of volta flooring, 2350 square metres of roof, wooden windows and facade restoration has been completed, and that electrical and mechanical installation works are continuing in the building, Yümlü noted that Istanbul Governor Davut Gül examined the works on site.
Yümlü thanked President Erdoğan, Interior Minister Yerlikaya, Zeytinburnu Mayor Arısoy and Governor Gül, who visited them as soon as he took office, for their support and support in bad times.
